Media bodies condemn killing of Rising Kashmir editor Shujaat Bukhari

New Delhi: Several media bodies, including Press Club of India, Indian Women’s Press Corps, Press Association and Federation of Press Clubs of India, today expressed shock over the killing of senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari in Kashmir and strongly condemned the attack.

“Press Club of India is shocked and saddened by this mindless terror attack that claimed the life of Shujaat Bukhari in the holy month of Ramzan, the Press Club of India said in a release.

It said that the club has time and again underlined the threat to the lives of journalists working under difficult and challenging circumstances and demanded protection for them.

“Terror attack that took Shujaat Bukhari’s life shows that lives of journalists are not at all safe. Forces inimical to restoring peace in Kashmir Valley have silenced a voice of reason, logic and peace, it said.

In a joint release, Indian Women’s Press Corps, Press Association and Federation of Press Clubs of India demanded that the “dastardly forces” responsible for the killing should be brought to book by the Jammu and Kashmir government at the earliest.

They said his murder can only be viewed as yet another attempt to muzzle the media and the freedom of the press in the valley.

“We also express our deep condolences to the family members and friends of Mr Bukhari, they said.

The National Union of Journalists (India) said that security of journalists in the Jammu and Kashmir is a matter of concern and the incident was an attempt to stall fearless coverage of anti-national and anti-people activities.

NUJ(I) strongly criticises this barbaric act and demands that the state government nabs the culprits at the earliest. We also demand to look into the security of the mediapersons, while covering different events in the state,” it said.